


Friended for Realz

by GrumpyJenn



Category: Selfie (TV)
Genre: Charmonique is annoyed, Eventually and most likely off screen, Freddy is a tool, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Julia is a hero, Since ABC cancelled it like a tool
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-19
Updated: 2014-11-21
Packaged: 2018-02-26 06:24:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2641433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrumpyJenn/pseuds/GrumpyJenn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Because ABC cancelled it on us, dammit. For crying out loud, at least finish the season!</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. Julia Helps

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kanigye](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kanigye/gifts), [screamnuggets](https://archiveofourown.org/users/screamnuggets/gifts).



> Because ABC cancelled it on us, dammit. For crying out loud, at least finish the season!

“Now then, my people, my family,” Sam Saperstein was saying in his usual bombastic way, “let’s go around the table and each say what we are thankful for!”

Henry's work Thanksgiving party was a little on the casual side for Julia’s taste, and she managed not to roll her eyes… but only barely. She winced internally as the boss pointed at her. “You first, Henry’s friend; what are you thankful for?”

 _That this party will soon be ended,_ she thought, but chose not to say it. “I am thankful that I have a thriving medical practice, and good friends.” _And that the young man whom Henry refers to as ‘a tool’ is not sitting next to me. After the  last time… what_ does _Henry’s ginger friend see in the man?_

Then Sam pointed at the ‘tool’. “You, Freddy. What are you thankful for?”

“I’m glad you asked, Sam,” Freddy said, his face shining with excitement _. Or alcohol, or both_ , Julia thought. But he was continuing. “I’m thankful that Candi here accepted my proposal of marriage,” he said, and having dropped _that_ little bombshell, turned to the woman next to him and kissed her lavishly, while the little twit waved the huge rock on her finger at the table at large.

Julia saw something move out of the corner of her eye just as Henry’s hand closed convulsively on the table top, as though he was barely resisting the urge to strike Freddy. She glanced over at where she had seen the movement and watched as Henry’s redheaded friend slipped out of the room, her skin even paler than was usual for her.  And the doctor in Julia saw the need for treatment; the young woman was clearly in shock at the actions of her erstwhile lover. “I shall return,” she whispered in Henry’s ear, under cover of the noise of congratulations for Freddy and the vapid blonde. “Your ginger friend… I will check on her and come back.” He nodded shortly at her, clearly trying to get his feelings under control, and she left.

“Miss Dooley?” Julia found her in the ladies’ lounge, curled on a chaise with her knees drawn up and her head on her knees. She looked rather absurdly like a large and ungainly child.

Julia always had had a soft spot for children.

“Eliza?” She sat beside the young woman and put a consoling hand on her shoulder. “I am sorry that your… that Freddy proved to be the ‘tool’ that Henry says he is.” She paused as Eliza’s head came up and the ginger girl looked her in the eyes.

 _She looks terrible_ , Julia thought; _women with that sort of complexion should endeavor not to cry, and perhaps she felt more for this Freddy than she intimated.._

“Why do you care? I mean… that’s a real question, I’m not being bitchy. Why do you care?”

“You are Henry’s friend. Possibly his closest friend. I care because he does.”

“Then where is _he_?”

Julia smiled slightly, although she felt somewhat wistful. This was the end of her romantic relationship with Henry; she could feel it. “You could hardly expect him to come after you into the ladies’ lounge, now could you?” The question was gentle, and she felt Eliza’s muscles relax under her hand. “If it will make you feel better, I left him at the table, clenching his fists and obviously trying not to embarrass himself by striking Freddy in his too-pretty face. On your behalf.”

“On my behalf? But…”

“He does not like to see you hurt.” Julia got up. “”Now,” she said, “I am certain that a woman with your _joie de vivre_ and appearance has the means to repair the damage that tears have done to your face. I shall go speak with Henry while you accomplish said repairs.” She started to leave the lounge, but Eliza’s voice stopped her.

“Julia?”

“Yes?” Julia did not turn back to look at the younger woman.

“Thank you for caring.” Julia smiled sadly to herself; the girl _was_ coming along.

“I believe the term is, ‘anytime,’ correct?”


	2. Charmonique Kicks Ass

Charmonique grabbed Henry by the wrist as he stood; he looked murderous. She couldn’t let him go after Eliza, because his pocket-sized date had the girl in hand, and Henry going after them would just look bad.

Henry going after Freddy would be even worse.

“Let. Go. Of. Me.”

She shook her head, and said in a low tone, “Watch.” Henry looked startled, but he stopped trying to tug away from her. When she was satisfied that he’d stay put, she let him go.

And she stepped up to Freddy, who was accepting expressions of surprise and congratulations, as his new fiancée was in a corner of the room, showing off her ring.  He beamed up at Char, but the smile on his face drained away when he saw the expression on hers.

 _Good_.

“What in the _hell_ were you thinking, fool?” It was a furious whisper, just loud enough for both Henry and Sam to overhear.  “Did you even notice that the woman you’ve been sleeping with for months was here? Did you bother to tell her what you were going to do? No.”

“Hey, she knew it was just sex, good times in bed.”

“Oh,” Charmonique said in that sweet voice she used for the truly stupid. “And does your fiancée know about the good times in bed you’ve been having with another woman?” At the look on his face, suddenly scared, she smiled at him. “Guess not. I’ll just tell her then… so you don’t take her by surprise like you did Eliza.”

“No!” Freddy nearly shouted it, then dropped his voice. “No, Charmonique, please don’t. She wouldn’t understand, she wouldn’t know it was just sex, she’d think it was all wrong.”

“It _is_ all wrong, you idiot,” Char nearly spat at him. “You _know_ Eliza doesn’t sleep with married men… or engaged ones. If she _knows_. God, you just disgust me! Forget it; you’re not worth getting you in trouble with your fiancée. Sam, thank you for what could have been a lovely evening, if the Fool wasn’t here. Come on, Henry.” She turned, grabbed Henry’s arm again, and then thought better of it.

She turned back.

“No. You know what?” And she hauled off and hit Freddy as hard as she could.

Charmonique was not a small woman, and she was mad.

Freddy went down.

Charmonique took Henry by the wrist.

Henry pulled his hand out of hers, turned on his heel, and punched Freddy in the jaw.

This time Freddy stayed down.

Henry held out his arm to Charmonique, who accepted it and led him to the foyer.

 _Huh_ , Char thought, as Julia came through the door opposite, _there’s something else going on here._ The petite woman looked tired and a little sad and Char knew, just _knew_ , that she was going to break up with Henry _. At least she’ll do it more gently than Freddy the Fool did_.

But she only asked, “Eliza in there?” At Julia’s nod, Char took a deep breath. “I’ll look in on her. You be careful with him, you hear me? I’m not above smacking you too and I’ve had a rough night.”

Julia just smiled a little smile. “I would prefer not to hurt him in any case. May I request that you drive me home after all is said and done?”

“What?” Henry seemed confused, and Char slid her arm out of the circle made by his elbow and patted his hand.

“Don’t be mad at her, Henry,” she said, “She’s doing what’s right.”

And she went into the ladies’ lounge.

“Hey there, baby,” she said to Eliza. “You doin’ okay?”

Eliza’s lower lip began to quiver again, and Char said sharply, “Don’t do that. Don’t you give that fool the satisfaction of knowin’ he made you cry.” She sat down on the padded bench beside the younger girl. “Hope you don’t think he’s gonna change his mind, or anything like that. That’d make _you_ the fool.”

“I _was_ a fool. I thought we were at least friends, enough for him to tell me when…”

“You just stop with the foolishness now then,” Charmonique said. “Fix yourself up so if the Fool is out there, he’ll see what he’s thrown away. I gotta go; I’m giving that Julia a ride home.”

“But she came with Henry.”

“Honey, if I read her right, she’s breaking up with Henry right now.”


	3. Henry Loses a Lover and Gains a Friend

“She needs you, Henry,” Julia was saying for the fifth time, her patient tone wearing thin. “And although I like you very much, I do not feel nearly as strongly about you as your Eliza does.”

“But…” _Okay, Henry, this time you have to say more than just ‘but’…get a grip._  He took a deep breath. “Let me see if I have this straight. You think that I am better off with Eliza than with you, in spite of our obvious compatibility. You also think that Eliza needs me. Have I got that right?” Henry knew he sounded nasty, but this was all kind of out of the blue for him. Not that he didn’t think Eliza was attractive, of course he did, a man would have to be blind not to, especially since she had started learning to think of others first, and to… he wrenched his attention back to Julia, who was talking again.

“You care about her, Henry. And she cares for you.”

Henry sighed. “She doesn’t know _how_ to care for other people,” he said, ignoring his own thoughts of just a moment before.

Julia put a gentle hand on his arm. “Yes, she does. You taught her how.” She got up on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. “I hope that I have not hurt you too badly. In addition to not wanting to hurt you in any way, I would rather the formidable Charmonique did not, as she threatened, ‘smack’ me.”

 _Do I feel hurt?_ Henry wondered as he looked down at the tiny woman. _You know, I don’t think I do. She… I like her, I feel comfortable with her, but… there’s something_ missing _when I am with her, some spark of… of something._

So, no, he didn’t feel hurt. Confused, certainly, and a bit put out that this was so sudden. A little sad, but not wracked with grief. Just… wistful; it would have been nice to spend more time with someone who so shared his likes and dislikes. “Can we still be friends?” Henry blurted, then continued, calmer. “I would really like to still be friends.”

“Of course we can be friends, Henry,” Julia said, smiling. “I will add you to the throng of my male cohorts.”

Henry heard himself chuckle at that, and suddenly he felt much better.

He was not at all convinced that Julia was right about him and Eliza, but he would still have Julia as a friend. That was important too.

“I suppose I can stand being one of your throng,” he said, smiling back.

 _It’s strange,_ he thought, _but it does seem… well, it’s okay. I’m really not hurt by this._ “How about you?” Henry asked Julia. “I know you think this is best, but is it what you _want_?”

“I have enjoyed our time together, Henry, because – as you have pointed out – we are very compatible as people. But we are also very alike, and I fear that in time the novelty of being in a romantic relationship with someone so like myself would become… perhaps tedious? And the same is likely true of your reactions to me; you would become bored as time went on.”

 _Maybe I would,_ Henry thought, _although I would like to have had the choice too._

“Do you need me to hurt her?” Charmonique’s voice came from behind him.

“No,” he said, “But thanks for the offer.” He turned and looked at her, and at Eliza sort of hovering nervously behind her, the way she did when eating over the wastebasket in his office. And he got mad all over again – not at Julia, but at Freddy. Eliza, in spite of her height, looked small and scared and defenseless, and looking at her made Henry want to punch Freddy again.

Maybe twice.

But he didn’t go back into the dining room Sam had reserved for the evening. He just bent down and kissed Julia on the cheek, then Charmonique, and held out his left hand to Eliza, who took it warily. “Come on,” he said gently. “I’ll take you home.”


	4. Eliza Gets the Guy... But not Quite Yet

Henry didn’t look at her, and Eliza told herself that it was because he was carefully keeping his eyes on the road.

She wasn’t sure she believed it when she told herself that though, and she was close to tears again when she finally choked out, “Henry, are you mad at me?”

He pulled over, stopped the car, and put on his emergency blinkers, then turned in his seat to look at her. “Why would I be mad at you?”

And then Eliza just couldn’t help herself; she burst into tears.

She thought she heard Henry say something like, “Oh, don’t do that,” but she didn’t stop, _couldn’t_ stop crying. _You won’t even_ look _at me,_ she thought, _much less hug me, you think I’m a slut and an idiot for sleeping with Freddy, and I_ am _, and, and… and you’re my only friend for realz and I need, I need_ … but then Henry’s arms came around her and she realized she’d said it aloud, and now she was embarrassed as well as upset and…

“Hey.” Henry’s hands gripped her shoulders gently, pulling away just a little so he could look at her. “I don’t think you’re an idiot or a slut. A slut would have stuck around for more sex after Freddy was married, or hopped into bed with the next guy. A slut would not refuse to sleep with married men, and a slut would keep a bunch of men on a string at the same time. A slut wouldn’t be all… devastated like this. And who says I’m your only friend for uh… realz?” She shook her head and he continued. “Who came after you when you were upset?”

“J-julia. But she’s _your_ friend, only now she’s not, Charmonique said she broke up with you, and…”

“Eliza,” he said, stopping her. “She did break up with me. But I’m… actually, I’m okay with it, and we’re still friends.  And she _is_ your friend too, or she wouldn’t have gone to you herself.” Eliza watched him smile a little ruefully. “Actually, if she wasn’t your friend she’d just have made a quietly sarcastic remark about the whole situation.”

“R-really?” Eliza sniffled and smiled at Henry as he produced a handkerchief. Of _course_ he had one; it was so _Henry_. She wiped her nose with it and offered it back. Henry gave a little shudder.

“Really. And Charmonique is your friend. She hit Freddy, you know, she was so angry at what he did to you.” He reached out to dab at a stray tear and she noticed the marks on his knuckles.

She grabbed his hand to inspect them more closely. “What happened?” Eliza asked, and Henry looked embarrassed.

“I, uh… I hit Freddy too.”

 _You did? For me?_ “Hard?”

“Well…” Now there was a little smugness mixed in with the embarrassment. “He _stayed_ down after I hit him.”

“My hero,” Eliza said teasingly, forgetting for a moment that this was _Henry_ , and bent to kiss the bruised knuckles, looking up into his face.

Henry went very still, and swallowed hard enough for Eliza to see the movement in his throat.

Just as he had that day in his house, when she had teased him into a little casual touching, the day before he met Julia.

“Henry…?”

Oh god, then he was kissing her like a starving man, and she was kissing him back, and he hadn’t been lying when he’d said he did okay; he was a fabulous kisser.

So Eliza pulled away.

“God, Eliza, I’m sorry. I didn’t… he just dropped all that on you and you don’t want _me_ , and…”

“Shut up, Henry,” Eliza said, and she thought for a minute she might have to kiss him again to shut him up, but… “I _do_ want you.”

“Then why…?”

“A slut would just ‘hop into bed with the next guy.’ I…” Eliza took a deep breath, because seriously, this was scaring the crap out of her. “I… don’t want you to be just the next guy.” _There_ , she thought, _oh god, what if_ he _doesn’t want_ me _, I…_

It was Henry’s turn to take a deep breath. “Okay,” he said, sitting back. “I, uh… shall we take it one day at a time? To see if we want to be… more than friends? Lovers.”

Eliza felt herself smiling at Henry, and she felt better than she had all day.

“I think that’d be loverly.”

**Author's Note:**

> For those who are familiar with the source material (Pygmalion/My Fair Lady) on which Selfie is loosely based even to the names, feel free to play Spot the Reference in my Selfie stories.


End file.
